About the Author:

Devangana Mishra is a writer & the author of a book of poetry, Desierto Florido, and a verse novel, 26, Kamala Nehru Ridge, Civil Lines, Delhi. Her next book of prose and poetry, set in Mumbai, ‘May I Bombay You?’, should be out by fall 2025.

Devangana also runs a foundation for autism out of low-income schools of Mumbai, called Brain Bristle. She was awarded the Elise Todden Scholarship for academic excellence at Teachers’ College, Columbia University, New York, and was a Fellow at the Outcomes and Opportunities Department & helped run the Teachers College Reading and Writing program for the University. Ever since then, she has led teams and written mindfulness curricula and alternative curricula for autism, inclusion & team manifestos for some of the biggest schools and organizations. For example, the School at Columbia, New York; The Jakarta Intercultural School, Indonesia; the Harbour School, Hong Kong; and then, with her move to India, Teach for India. Devangana was a representative at the World Economic Forum, 2020, and she now spends her day running her foundation for autism, Brain Bristle, and writes prose, poetry, and art for causes that affect her in her everyday life.

About Brain Bristle:
Brain Bristle as a Foundation works on empowering students on the spectrum of autism admitted in Mumbai’s low-income schools to their maximal ability through building inclusivity in education via trained social workers and then in after-school work. Brain Bristle’s work

TLT:  Devangana, your journey is beautifully interwoven across multiple disciplines like poetry, prose, visual arts, and meaningful social work through Brain Bristle. Could you take us through how these diverse streams complement each other in your life and whether they converge naturally, or do you compartmentalize them as separate creative and professional spaces?

Devangana: I love that question; most of it does converge naturally. art, talent, the human imagination is eternal, there’s no end to it, so once I’m done putting most of myself into my nonprofit across all parameters of progress, I then take it from that end and begin building on my work across the arts.

TLT:  Your debut poetry collection, Desierto Florido, was written during the isolating and uncertain days of the pandemic. That period was an emotional turning point for many around the world. How did the solitude and global crisis shape your creative voice, your choice of themes, and the emotional depth you were able to access during that time?

Devangana: I think the solitude was eerie; it made me want to find ways to emerge, and in figuring those out, I found myself. What’s important to note is when any artist/ writer/ think begins they don’t know what to do as first steps, our artistic intelligence is usually frozen like a block of ice, chipped and used where necessary- so Desierto Florido was the demolishing of that block of ice across all forms of creativity and the arts, from sweet chipping at corners to collapse, and then once that was messy and out, it came time to collect it all and build. So, while I’d always been an artist, writer in the fields of autism, it was always chipping at it- but after COVID, I went full-fledged and emerged with my independent practice in the arts across domains and building my non-profit from scratch, Brain Bristle. 

TLT:  In 26, Kamala Nehru Ridge, Civil Lines, Delhi, you bring to life pre-independence India through the intimate, personal story of Zara, a young Muslim girl. What compelled you to explore this particular slice of history through such a personal lens? Was it a conscious decision to focus on the human cost of political shifts rather than the larger historical events themselves?

Devangana: The idea of 26, Kamala Nehru Ridge, Civil Lines, Delhi, came to me when talk of school history books in India deleting important parts of our Mughal history, histories of communal riots, Gujarat riots, mentions of Dalit writers being removed, and talks of Hindu nationalism were growing loud in intellectual circles…So, I decided to put into verses, art, and poetry the story of a Muslim girl, born in Kamala Nagar, Delhi, journeying through the decade of the 1930s-40s India, when news and work of the India-Pakistan division and Muslim erasure took hold. People relate more to people, to voices, to daily lives, and to chit-chat. It was a conscious decision to bring to observation the decade of the divide through the eyes of a young Muslim girl to build her more empathy and give her more thought. It’s what books do: they build empathy and belonging with one another. 

Also, I do know that if we are granted the privilege to create, to write, to imagine, to advance, we must do our best to support voice. To remain an active participant in the important voice is the job of artists, scientists, historians, teachers, poets, writers, and you & I. And, to do it in the best way we understand, to use it well and soundly, becomes an important task.

TLT:  Writing a verse novel is a bold and unconventional narrative choice. How did you navigate the delicate balance between poetic lyricism and storytelling structure while crafting 26, Kamala Nehru Ridge, Civil Lines, Delhi? Were there moments when you felt the story demanded to break out of verse, or did the form remain an essential vehicle throughout?

Devangana: As an artist, I always do what pleases me visually, artistically, emotionally, intellectually, and creatively. I thoroughly enjoyed the use of verse to craft this verse novel. You know that saying creativity comes from constraints, I was so energized in the reading and writing because I knew I had to think of how to frame it poetically, in verses, keeping the history intact, but using the poetry and purity of verses, art, and poetry to do the telling. And I think your audience enjoys what you do well from your heart- this was my heart’s work put to paper in the most honest, artistically giving way I could.

TLT:  Your forthcoming work, May I Bombay? promises to capture the electric pulse of Mumbai between 1980 and 1993—a city in flux, a city that hisses, a city that burns, as you describe it. What inspired you to tell this story, and how did you immerse yourself in the political, cultural, and emotional landscape of that era to breathe life into your protagonist, Savitri Dhavale?

Devangana: I’m only six years old in Mumbai now, the best way to know a city is to write it, just like the best way to know a man is to love him 🙂 I imagined there must be so many girls like Savitri Dhavale making their way through town, giving up hope, imagining their skies too low their figures too bleak, their feet too slow, their gullies too dirty and their mothers too low- it’s a book of again prose, poetry and art to give belonging to the millions of Savitri Dhavale’s I find myself as, surrounded by- it’s the story of an average small suburban Bombay girl through the social, political and economic turmoil’s that all decades bring and face. Breathing life into the ordinary is always fun and creatively expansive and rewarding- that’s it, this work has been joyful, the watching, reading, listening, studying, and creating for it as well. I hope the audience finds it as well.

TLT:  You have spent years working closely with children on the autism spectrum through your foundation, Brain Bristle. How has this work, particularly in low-income schools, deepened your understanding of empathy, inclusion, and human potential, and how have these insights found their way, consciously or unconsciously, into your literary creations?

Devangana: Just the roundedness and presence it brings/ you can’t be anything but yourself when you’re working with a student on the autism spectrum, anywhere, in low-income schools or large schools or wherever else- you become you, because these children bring you to the ground, ‘Come help me!’ ‘Come teach me!’ And you’re yourself again- I owe all my life’s art, writing, truth, and false to them.

TLT:  You’ve designed alternative curricula and mindfulness programs for schools around the world, focusing on inclusion and social-emotional learning. Do you see a parallel between storytelling and education, particularly in their power to build bridges, shift mindsets, and offer safe spaces for voices that often go unheard?

Devangana: Absolutely,’ one is another- we learn because some of our best teachers teach us through stories, history and geography, and Marathas and Mughals and Roman history and mathematics, it’s all a story, we learn because we want to get to somewhere, something, open our minds to something new, something that we haven’t known before, something that will weave new threads in our brain connecting us to something else. We don’t want students to go to school because they have to; we want to see them learn because it’s fun, it’s rewarding, it promises returns, it promises healing and rising and hard work, yes, but towards new mornings and brighter days. Storytelling is education’s theme song; one wouldn’t be so good without the other.

TLT:  Having worked across continents—from New York to Jakarta, Hong Kong, and finally back to Mumbai—you’ve had the rare privilege of experiencing global classrooms and cultural systems. How have these international encounters influenced the way you view Indian society, both in its educational frameworks and in its literary traditions?

Devangana: All countries are what their generations of culture, history, and colonial pasts have been, and all schools and organizations are what socio-economic standings have been able to bring to them.

I’m a lot more open to everything, my sense of what’s ‘alright’, what is ‘possible’ is a lot larger than one would imagine because of the diversity I’ve received and accrued over cultures and times across countries and organizations. There’s no linear road to progress or success, and that multi-road journey is a lot wider in my head because of the cultures and societies that have influenced me.

TLT:  Your time at Teachers’ College, Columbia University, and your experience representing at the World Economic Forum at Davos must have offered transformative perspectives. How did these opportunities shape your worldview—not just as a writer and artist—but as a social thinker who deeply engages with issues of inclusion, learning, and systemic change?

Devangana: To be honest, it was just a microcosm of the rest of my professional experiences- to say they’ve all been great. I’ve worked at some excellent organizations and schools, so to be at TC or WEF was just a concentrated income of what I’d otherwise seen, and also yes, they were good places to be at, both professionally and a personal/ morale boost!

TLT: There is something strikingly intimate about your use of everyday imagery—food, family names, colloquialisms—to evoke emotion in your poetry. Do you see these choices as a deliberate attempt to root your work in the familiar, or do they surface instinctively from your own lived experiences and cultural memory?

Devangana: I think a little bit of both, I love the details, the flicker of a candle, the way new flowers grow, their fresh colours and softness, the way my cat curls in between my feet to ensure I don’t leave for anywhere now, at the end of the day, how my Palak paneer can never taste as good as my mothers, how all homes have an energy, a feeling, and how we put all these into words and lyrics and art is so important because it makes our work rich, something we can feel and hear, something we know, anyone who reads knows, can sense. There’s an emotional depth that comes when you bring the daily like ‘a spoon and a half of ghee’ in the tulsi to lyrics and words, you can taste it and know the Kaka who’s pouring it and the intent he holds for it- that’s what art and poetry and writing should do, transport you, transfix you, hold you captive for long.

TLT: Your body of work flows seamlessly between poetry, prose, and visual art, creating almost a multi-sensory narrative experience. When you begin to tell a story, how do you decide which medium—or combination of media—will best serve the soul of the piece? Is it something the story tells you, or do you choose the medium first?

Whatever flows, go with it. Sometimes, some mediums of work to me are a lot longer, more tedious, and time-consuming than what someone else, someone smarter, someone more skilled, someone more experienced would do, but to me, whatever is familiar, feels natural to my palate and fingers, is what I begin with and try to stick to.

TLT: Mumbai often feels like more than just a backdrop in your work—it pulses like a living, breathing character. How would you describe your relationship with this city, and in what ways has it shaped your creative lens and emotional palette over the years?

Devangana: I’ve been here six years now; it’s given me a lot. It’s been my first grown-up home in India, it’s given me love, heartbreak, friendships of a lifetime, many homes, quality time alone, excellent work, my independent work- I owe it’s solid clutch on my life/ like the skies owe rain to the earth.

TLT: Your work spans creative writing, art, and hands-on social impact. Could you walk us through your creative process—how you transition from one form to another—and whether you approach your art, your writing, and your social initiatives with a shared sense of rhythm and purpose?

Devangana: It’s not that complicated, I begin my day and meander my day through a lot of on-the-ground social impact, Brain Bristle-related school work, and then keep finding detours into my creative life as mediums, times, days, and months permit. Honestly, it’s all very organic and everything is one and all, there’s no big distinction between one to another- it’s all a big chunk of creatively, intellectually, socially, and emotionally involved work, that exhausts me for 8 hours each night.

TLT: For young writers and educators who aspire to bridge creative storytelling with meaningful social change, what advice would you offer? How can they remain authentic to their cause while also nurturing their artistic growth in a world that often demands one-dimensional focus?

Devangana: Do the work each day, fight the fights, do the groundwork, teach a child, give up, let the worry brow you and the joys enliven you- live the hustle, live the heart aches and heartburns, get frustrated with the speed of things, get flustered by thinks and then fascinated, enthralled, inspired, amused by the daily- stay involved, stay actively engaged- this will save you from any imposter syndrome and then whatever you create will embody you, it’ll be a part of your life given to good/ keep the artist, activist in you alive first and foremost and then you’ll find one-dimensionality in this multidimensional way.

TLT: Looking ahead, what excites you most about the future, whether in your writing, your art, or your work with Brain Bristle? Are there new forms, new geographies, or new themes you’re eager to explore? Would you consider diving deeper into global conversations again, or is your heart now firmly anchored in your own city and your own stories?

Devangana: I’m always open to everything, so my next book, May I Bombay, lots of work with fun brands, and growing Brain Bristle in impact and size are all on my current plate. I’d be more than happy to jump into any conversations that excite me and feel valuable to me and the audience.

Thank you so much for doing this with me, really grateful!